Harvester



'(No Modl.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 1.

A. P. HART. HARVBSTER.

No. 451,669. Pate nt'ed May 5, 1891.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A.F.HART.I

HARVESTER.

I PatentedyMayB, 1891.

- 3 Sheets-Sheefi. A. P. HART.

HARVESTER.

(No Model.)

Patented May 5,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

ALBERT F. HART, OF- LEON, KANSAS.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,669, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed October 14, 1890. $erial No. 368,102. (No model.)

To all whmn it iii/any concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. HART, acitizen of the United States, residing at Leon,in the county of Butler and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Harvester, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for harvesting corn, sorghum, and the like, as well ing been removed for the purpose of show-.

ing the construction more clearly. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the machine with the binding table or platform folded. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a side elevation. Fig. 6 is a detail view, in side elevation and partly in section, of one of the de vices carrying the endless chains provided with outwardly-extending fingers or beaters. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of aportion of the gearing of the machine.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures. I V

The frame of my improved corn-harvester is rectangular in shape and is composed of the side beams 1 l, the front and rear beams 2 and 3, and the longitudinal braces 4, 5, and 6. Boxes or bearings are formed upon the longitudinal brace 4 and the adjacent side beam 1 for the main driving and'supporting wheel 7. The latter is provided with a concentric spur-wheel 8, from which motion is transmitted to the operating parts of the machine. The longitudinal braces 4 and 5 are provided with bearings for transverse shafts 9 and 10, each of which is provided with a pinion 11, meshing with the spur-wheel 8. The shaft 9 is arranged to slide in its bearings and in an additional bearing which is formed for it in a frame 12, which is socured upon the'brace 4. A spring 13, coiled upon the shaft 9 between the outer end of the frame 12 and a collar 14 formed upon the shaft, serves to force the latter in the direction of the brace 4. The opposite or outer end of the shaft 9, adjacent to the brace 5, carries a bevel-gear 15, meshing with a pinion 16 upon a short shaft 17, which has its bearings in a cross-bar 18, connecting the braces 4 and 5, and in the front beam 2 of the frame. The front end of the shaft 17 carries a wheel or disk 19, having a wrist-pin 20, which is connected by a pitman 21 with the cutter-bar 22, which is mounted to reciprocate in a fingerbar 23 of ordinary construction.

\Vhen desired, this cutting apparatus may i be dispensed with, and in lieu thereof large steel cutters having sharpened V shaped notches may be bolted or otherwise secured to the front frame-bar of the machine to sever the cornstalks by contact therewith as the machine passes over the field. It is obvious, however, that for cutting sorghum or small grain the cutting apparatus having the reciprocating cutter is necessary.

Extending forwardly from the front of the I frame and havingits ends attached to the frame at the ends of the cutting apparatus is a bent or approximately V-shaped hoop 24, having an upturned front end 25 and upwardly-bulging sides 26. This device, the front end of which rides upon the ground in advance of the machine, serves in practice to pick up the fallen corn and to crowd it over in the direction of the feeding devices, which will be presently described, and to force the cornstalks into contact with the cutters. This device is to be used only when the machine is used for cutting corn. For cutting sorghum or grain itis obviouslyunnecessary.

Upon the front side of the front beam 2 of the frame are provided tubular bearings 27 for a shaft 28, which is provided at one end with a pinion 29, meshing with a bevel-gear 30 upon the rear side of the wheel or disk 19. The shaft 28 is provided with bevel-gears 31.

Suitably secured to the frame of the machine are steps or boxes 32, forming bearings for the lower ends of shafts 33, the lower ends of which are provided with bevel-pinons 34, meshing-with the pinions 31, from which r0- tary motion is thus transmitted to the said shafts.

35 designates tubes which are mounted upon the shafts 33, and which are provided at their upper ends with forwardly-extending arms 36, connected by braces 37 with the said tubes. The outer ends of the arms 36 have vertical sockets 38.

The tubes are connected with the frame of the machine by means of braces 39, provided at their upper ends with eyes 40,in which the said tubes may turn. Said tubes are also connected with the frame by means of spring braces 41, the lower ends of which are firmly attached to the frame, while their upper ends are coiled around the said tubes and attached to the brackets 37. The springs 11 are so arranged as to hold the arms 36 of the tubes normally in a forward direction, and at the same time to permit the said arms to yield laterally, as will be readily understood.

In the vertical sockets 38 at the outer ends of the arms 30 are mounted shafts 42, having sprocket-wheels 43. Sprocket-wheels M are also mounted upon the upper ends of the vertical shafts 33. Chains 45, having outwardlyextending prongs 46 at suitable intervals, are mounted to run upon the sprocket-wheels 43 and 44. These prongs during the operation of the machine serve to engage the stands of corn and force it into contact. with the cutting apparatus of the machine. It will be seen that motion is transmitted to the endless chains 45 through the shafts 323 and shafts 28 from the short longitudinal shaft 17, which in turn derives its motion through the shaft 9 and pinion 11 from the main drive-wheel of the machine.

Upon the front and rear beams of the frame, near the end of the same at which the main transporting-wheel is mounted, are secured the uprights 47, the upper ends of which have bearings for the ends of a roller 48, which carries at its front end a sprocketwheel 40.

Uprights 50, arranged about centrally upon the front and rear frame-beams, are provided with bearings for the shaft of a roller51, provided at its front end with a sprocket-wheel 52. An additional roller 53 has its ends journaled in the front and rear frame-bars at the outer ends of the latter. An endless chain 54 passes over the sprocket-wheels 49 and 52 and over an additional sprocket-wheel 55, which is secured upon the short longitudinal shaft 17, from which motion will thus be transmitted to the rollers 18 and 51. An endless apron 56, provided at suitable intervals with slats 57, passes around the rollers 48, 51, and 53. Said apron, it will be observed, receives motion principally from the roller 48 and also from the roller 51, which latter, however, serves more in the nature of a guide-roller. Wire braces 58, forming guides for the endless apron, are arranged at suitable intervals in the frame. The shaft of the roller 48 is extended beyond the front upright -17, and it carries a spur wheel or pinion 59.

6O designates a bracket which is suitably attached to the front upright 17, and said bracket affords a bearing for a rearward-extending shaft 61, the front end of which carries a spur-wheel (i2, meshing with the spurwheel 59, from which it receives motion. The shaft 61 is extended rearwardly above and about half-way across the upper end of the endless apron 5G, and it is provided with an additional bearing in a brace 63, which is suitably attached to the front upright #17. The shaft 61 carries a roller 04, and upon it are pivotally mounted the outwardly-extending arms 65, the outer ends of which have bearings for the shaft of the roller 66. An endless apron 67 passes over the rollers 64 and 6G, and said apron is provided at suitable intervalswith slats (38. It will be observed that the free ends of the arms 65, carrying the roller 66, maybe raised or lowered, as may be desired; also, that the opposing faces of the apron 67 and of the endless apron 56, which is the main carrier, travel in the same direction.

A scat (if) for the driver is mounted upon the front upright- 47, and conveniently arranged in front of said seat is a lever 70, adapted to be operated by either the hand or the foot of the driver, and which is adapted to slide the shaft 9 in its bearings against the tension of the spring 13 for the purpose of throwing the bevel-gear 15 out of engagement with the pinion 16 when it shall be desired to throw the operating mechanism of the machine out of gear.

The outer end of the frame of the machine is supported upon a swiveled caster-wheel 71, which will readily adjust itself to the direction in which the machine is traveling.

To the outer side of the frame-beam 1 of the machine adjacent to the transportingwheels 7 is suitably hinged a frame-bar 72, having laterally outwardly-extending crossbars 73, to the outer ends of which are hinged the meeting ends of similar cross-bars 74, projecting laterally and inwardly from a longitudinal frame-bar 75. The cross-bars 73 and 74, respectively, are connected near their meeting ends by frame-bars 76. The frames 77 thus formed are covered with suitable flooring 78.

To the rear edges of the frames 77 are hinged the downwardly-foldin g supplemental frames 79, forming, together with the frames 77, a complete platform of suitable dimen sions. The outer frame-beam of said platform is supported upon one or more swiveled caster-wheels S0. The frame-bar 75 is provided near its front and rear ends with uprights 81, which are connected by a guardrail 82. The front end of the latter has a hinged arm 83, provided at its free end with a loop or eye 84:, adapted to be connected detachably with a hook 85 upon the front side of the front upright 47, thereby assisting in keeping the platform in position for operation.

To the upright 81 at the rear end of the frame-beam 75 is attached one end of a rope 86, which passes over a pulley S7 at the upper end of an upright 88, erected at the rear end of the frame-beam 72, which is hinged to the beam 1 of the main frame. It will be observed that the beams 72 and 75 are extended in rear of the frame-beams 1, and that they likewise extend in rear of the downwardly-foldin g frames 79. The rope 86 passes over a suitablyarranged guide-pulley 89, journaled upon a brace 90, that connects the rear upright 47 of the main frame with the rear beam 3 of said frame. From this point the rope 86 passes in a forward direction and to a reel9l,whichis journaled in a suitable frame 92, which is mounted loosely upon theshaft ordrum of the ree1,which latter in turn is journaled loosely upon the shaft 10. A suitably arranged spring 94 serves to force the reel-carrying frame in an outward direction upon the shaft 10 from the end of said shaft that carries the pinion 11.

The reel-shaft 93 is provided at its inner end with aclutch member 95,and the shaft 10 has a corresponding clutch member 96, which,however, is normally out of engagement with the clutch member 95. A connectingrod 97 connects the reel-carrying frame 92 to one end of a lever 98, which is pivoted to a partition-board 99, attached to the outer side of the uprights 47 of the main frame. By operating this lever the man who is stationed upon the platform of the machine may, when desired, throw the clutch member of the reel-shaft into engagement with the clutch member upon the shaft 10, thus causing the reel to be rotated and the rope 86 to be wound upon the shaft of said reel. When the lever 98 is released, the tension of the spring 94: will automatically restore the reel to its normal position, thus enabling the rope 86 to be unwound by simply pulling thereon;

Suitably arranged upon the platform composed of the folding sections 78 and 79 is a detachable rack 100, of suitable construction, to receive the corn as it is discharged over the endless belt or carrier 56, and in which it accumulates until a sufficient quantity has been gathered to form a bundle or shock, the tops being supported upon said rack, while the butts rest upon the platform. The operator stationed upon the platform then ties the shock, and, permitting the leaves 79 to drop, causes the bundle to be discharged.

Suitably mounted upon the platform of the machine is a shock-binding device consisting of a U-shaped frame 120, between the arms of which is journaled a shaft 121, carrying a roller or drum 122, and provided at one end with a crank or handle 123, by means of which it may be conveniently manipulated. One end of the drum 122 has a ratchet-wheel 124, en

gaged by a pawl 125, whereby it is retained in position.

Suitably attached to the drum 122 are two cords or ropes 126, extending through perforations 127 in the front end of the frame, where pulleys 127 are arranged to prevent wear and provided, respectively, with a hook 128 and a ring or eye 129, which may be readextent as a belt-tightener.

ily connected after the ends of the rope 126 have been passed around the shock. By manipulating the crank 123 to rotate the drum 122 and to wind the ropes 126 upon the latter the shock may then be readily tightened and held while being tied, after which the pawl 125 is disengaged from the ratchet 124 and the ropes unwound from the drum until the hook 128 and ring 129 may be separated and the shock released.

The rear folding sections of the platform of the machine are supported in a raised or operative position by means of a crank 130, formed upon a rod 130, swiveled under the frame-bar 1 of the machine and having its outer end journaled in a hook 131 and provided with an operating-lever 131, which may be detachably connected in any suitable manner with the outer frame-bar 75 of the platform. When thus supported, the arm-folding section will remain in an approximately horizontal position. XVhen it is desired to dump the shock, the free end of the rod 130 maybe released from the frame-bar 75, thus permitting the leaves 79 to drop, as above set forth.

Upon the lower ends of the shafts 33, that actuate the devices for crowding the standing corn in the direction of the cutting apparatus, I mount the drums 101, which I term the "fbutters. These drums are provided at their lower ends with collars 102, having set-screws 103, by means of which they are fastened upon the shafts 33 below the tubes 35. Said drums are also provided with radial flanges 104. When the shafts and drums revolve, the said drums or butters will serve to crowd the lower ends of the stalks in the direction of the cutting apparatus, so thatthe stalks shall be severed with ease and certainty.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. WVhen the machine progresses over the field, the cutting apparatus will take in two rows of corn, which are crowded into engagement with said cutting apparatus by means of the endless chains 45, operated in the manner herein described and assisted by the butters 101'. The devices supporting the endless pronged chains 45 are mounted yielding-1y, as herein described, so as to adapt themselves readily to the corn in case the latter should not be exactly even. The corn, having been severed by the cutting apparatus, drops upon the endless carrier 56 and is elevated over the partition 99. When the butt-ends of the stalks encounter the supplemental endless carrier 67, they will pass under the latter, and said supplemental carrier, traveling in the same direction as the opposing faces of the carrier 56,will assist in elevating the cornstalks. The pressure exerted thereby will also cause it to act to some The cornstalks are delivered over the partition 99 onto the platform, where an operator is stationed to tie the shock in the shocking-bracket 100. Previous to starting the rope 86 has been unwound from the reel 01 and been carried to the front end of the platform, where it forms a loop. X'Vhen the shock has been completed and tied, the lever 98 is manipulated to bring the clutch member 95 of the reel-shaft into engagement with the clutch member 06 upon the shaft 10. The operator now causes the leaves 79 of the platform to drop, thus lowering the head of the shock. Now when the machine advances the rotation of the shafts 10 causes the reel 91 to revolve, thereby winding the rope 86 and pulling the shock off the platform. This having been accomplished, the leaves 79 are again raised, the lever 98 is released, so as to uncouple the reel 91 from the shaft 10, the rope S6 is restored to its normal position, and the operation is then proceeded with as before.

When the machine is to be used for cutting sorghum or small grain, I remove the devices forcrowding the corn toward the cutting apparatus comprising the endless pronged chains -.t5 and their supporting devices. In lieu thereof I substitute an ordinary revolving reel, such as has been shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and provide suitable mechanism for transmitting motion' to the said reel from the drive-wheel of the machine. In this case I also remove the device designated by 24, and which is only to be used when the machine is used for cutting corn, its function being simply to raise the fallen corn so as to bring it into engagement with the cutting apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a corn-harvester, the combination, with the frame and cutting apparatus, of the vertical shafts arranged at each end of the cutting apparatus, tubes mounted upon said shafts and having forwardly-extending brackets, braces supporting the said tubes, shafts journaled at the outer ends of the forwardlyextending brackets, the sprocket-wheels at the upper ends of the vertical shafts and of the shafts at the outer ends of the brackets, the endless pronged chains mounted upon said sprocket-wheels, and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the frame and cutting apparatus, the vertical shafts arranged at each end of said cutting apparatus, a shaft mounted in' tubular bearings upon the front side of the frame and connected by suitable gearing with the drive-wheel of the machine, said shaft being provided with pinions meshing with pinions upon the lower ends of the vertical shafts, tubular supporting devices mounted upon said vertical shafts and sup ported by suitable braces, shafts journaled in brackets extending forwardly from said tubes, and the endless pronged chains, all arranged and operating substantially as described.

3. The combination of the frame, the cutting apparatus, the horizontal shaft mounted in tubular bearings upon the front beam of the frame and having the beveled pinions, the steps arranged adjacent to said pinions, the vertical shafts mounted in said steps and having pinions meshing with those upon the horizontal shaft, the tubular brackets surrounding said vertical shafts, suitable braces supporting the said tubes, and the sprocketwheels and chains, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination of the frame, the cut-' ting apparatus, the horizontal shafts driven from the drive-wheel of the machine and having bevel-pinions at each end of the cutting apparatus, the steps secured to the frame adjacent to said pinions, the vertical shafts mounted in said steps and having pinions meshing with those upon the horizontal shaft, the tubular brackets mounted upon said shafts and having suitable supporting-braces, the springs coiled on said tubular brackets and having their ends attached to the latter and to the frame, the endless pronged chains supported upon the vertical shafts, and tubular brackets which are provided with suitablyarranged sprocket-wheels for said chains, substantially as set forth.

5. The vertical tubes having forwardly-extending arms, in combination with the springs arranged to hold the said arms normally in a forward direction, suitable supporting-braces, the vertical shafts extending through said vertical tubes, shafts journaled in sockets at the outer ends of the forwardly-extending brackets, sprocket-wheels at the upper ends of the said shafts and of the vertical shafts extended through the tubes, the endless pronged chains mounted upon said sprocketwhcels, and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the frame, the cutting apparatus, and the mechanism for crowding the corn into engagement with the latter, of an approximately V-shaped hoop or guide having its ends attached to the frame at the ends of the cutting apparatus and having an upwardly-turned point and upwardlybnlging sides, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the frame, the cutting apparatus, the vertical shafts arranged at each end of the latter, the tubular brackets mounted upon said shafts, the endless pronged chains mounted upon sprocketwheels at the upper ends of the vertical shafts and upon shafts journaled at the outer ends of the tubular brackets, the drums mounted upon the shafts below said tubular brackets and having flanges to engage the butts of the cornstalks, and suitable operatingmechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. In a corn-harvester, the combination of the cutting apparatus, the endless carriers to IIO elevate the corn over the side of the frame, and the hinged platform composed of two parts or sections hinged together and having hinged drop-leaves at their rear edges, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of the frame, the cutting apparatus, the endless carriers, the hinged platform composed of two sections hinged together and having drop-leaves at their rear edges, the uprights upon the outer side beam of the platform, the guard-rail secured to the said uprights, and the arm hinged to the front end of said guard-rail and having a loop adaptedto engage a hook upon the iron; side of the frame, substantially as set ort 10. The combination of the frame having the cutting apparatusand the endless carriers with the hinged platform composed of two sections hinged together, a swiveled supporting-wheel at the outer edge of said platform, the uprights having the guard-rail, and an arm hinged at the front end of said guardrail and having a loop adapted to engage the hook upon the front side of the frame, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination of the frame having the cutting apparatus and the endless carriers, the hinged platform having the drop-leaves, the shocking-rack, the uprights at the rear ends of the side beams of the platform, a rope attached to the outer upright and passing over a pulley at the upper end of the inner upright, and a reel adapted to be operated by the driving mechanism of the machine and having the other end of said rope attached thereto, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. The combination of the frame having the cutting apparatus and the endless carriers, the platform hinged to said frame and having the drop-leaves, a reel journaled upon a shaft in the main frame of the machine, clutch mechanism adapted to connect said reel to said shaft against the tension of a suitably-arranged spring, mechanism for throwing said clutch mechanism into gear, gearing connecting the reel-supporting shaft with the main drive-Wheel of the machine, a rope having one end attached to said reel and the other end to an upright at the outer rear end of the platform, and suitable guide-pulleys for said rope, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The combination, with the frame having 5 5 the cutting apparatus and the endless carriers, of the hinged platform composed of two sections hinged together and having the hinged rear dumping-sections, the supporting-rod swiveled under the frame-bar 1 and having crank 130 and operating-lever 131, and the hook 131, adapted to support and to form a bearing for the free end of said supportingrod, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT F. HART. Witnesses:

WM. J. MARTIN, I. 0. (Hanson. 

